How to bring a cat and a dog together in your home.

These days, more and more of us are living in multi pet households and although sometimes there can be peaceful households, more often than not, things can be quite violent. Using a few tips and exercising caution then you can help introduce the new lodgers together and try to give them the best possible environment to live in. Have a read of our guide and see what you think.

There are first 3 variations that you need to take into account;

Temperament

Social identity

Family status

First of all, make sure that the dog is completely secured with a lead so when the first introduction does happen then you can control any sudden or violent movements that may happen.

If you sense that the atmosphere is good and there is no danger then take the dog of the lead and let them explore and sniff each other. This is vital and important. The more you keep them separated, the more the animosity is likely to grow between them.

Make sure you divulge equal attention among both of them. By placing more attention on either the dog or cat will attract jealousy. Love and pet them equally.

You must allow your cat to retreat. Unlike dogs, cats like to live a solitary life and from time to time they will want to be on their own and in their own space especially at the early stages of getting to know a dog when things are especially stressful. Where ever your cat goes to be alone, make sure the dog cannot intrude. Whether this is a bed perched high up out of the dogs reach or a room that just a cat can enter, it is important that the dog does not interfere.

While they are acclimating to each other it is important to keep them separated when you are away from the house or if not you could come back to a disaster. Problems can erupt when they are on their own and you will not be around to help stop them.

If you are adopting a new dog then before you decide to choose make sure the dog you choose is cat friendly. Place them in the range of a cat and see their reaction and whether or not it is overly aggressive. The same can be said if you are adopting a cat. Check out its behaviour with a dog.

Be careful with large age differences. Puppies and Kittens have a lot of energy that they like to get rid of. For older animals they may find this annoying and do not want to be disturbed.

Do not try to rush this process. It can take a lot of time for them both to warm to each other. There will be set backs but do not be discouraged by this. Just keep trying, adjusting things and soon enough you will happily find the right balance. Some animals will take days, others can take up to weeks or months.